Wheel drive



June 314, 1932. w. D. SARGENT 3% WHEEL DRIVE Filed Dec. 28, 1929 0' id/6 MM W 111% AM Patented June 14, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEWILLIAM n. sanennn'or NEWARK, NEW JERSEY wnnnr. narvn Application filedDecember 28, 1929. Serial No. 417,024.

. This invention relates to an improved drive for idle load wheels of aroad vehicle and has for its principal object to provide a drive whichwith reference to the spring suspension and usual torquing elements willaflord maximum flexibility in the suspension with maximum elficiency inthe transmission of the driving forces. Still another object of theinvention is to so relate the improved drive to the driving and drivenwheels as to transrnit the driving forces eficiently therebetweenregardless of their relative positions. A further object is to provide adrive of the character described in which the reaction of the forces ismost effectively taken by the wheel hearings so that unbalanced forcesincident to the drive are not set up.

More-specifically, the invention relates to the provision of driving anddriven sprockets in a wheel drivewhich, in addition to satisfying theconditions hereinbefore described, shall serve the additional functionof acting as spacers for the rims of dual tires. The improved sprocket,accordingly, may be associated with a spacer element disposed between.the rims of dual tires, the construction in pracsprocket may be inticebeing such that the tegral therewith orsecured thereto. By such aconstruction the sprocket is disposed between dual tires on a wheel andthe driving force of a chain engaged with the sprocket is accordinglytransmitted between two such, wheels in a lignment at points between thetires thereby applyin the turning efiort uniormly to allfour 0 the tiresin equal proportions regardless of their relative positions and withoutimposing unbalanced forces on any one of the tires. Such a dispositionof the driving units also permits'the bearings to be so disposed withrespect thereto asto take the forces of reaction in the most efiectivemanner, the driving sprockets in the preferred form being preferablydisposed within the same general plane vertically as the hearings, or atleast within the area spanned by the bearings.

The invention will be described in greater detail in connection with theembodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing,

0 wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in plan showing somewhat schematically the rear endof a motor vehicle provided with two load axles, power being deliveredonly to one of said axles and from the wheels thus driven to the otherwheels, respectively, through the improved drive.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in section and on a somewhat larger scalethrough one of the driven wheels shown in Figure 1 and taken on theplane indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure l and looking in the directionof the arrows.

As the description proceeds it will be evident that the improvements arenot limited in their application to vehicles of any particular designnor to the character of the spring suspensions, torquing elements andassociated parts of the vehicle. For this reason, it is sufiicient inthe accompanying drawing to show only the driving and driven wheels,some of the other usual elements of the motor vehicle being omitted inthe interest of clearness. The chassis a of the vehicle shown in Figure1 is supported at its rear end by two load carrying axles b and 0 which,while illustrated as through axles might have substituted therefor, stubaxles for each of the load wheels whereby independent springing issecured in accordance with practices heretofore proposed. The forwardaxle b is shown as mounting a suitable final drive, the details of whichare not illustrated but by which in accordance with known practicesdriving power is received from a propeller shaft 0? and delivered tolive axle sections (2, one of which is shown in Figure 2. On the axle bare mounted wheels shown as provided with dual tires 7", f, and g, g,respectively, although as will be pointed out later single tires mightbe used without sacrificing many of the advantages attained by theimprovements. Referring now to Figure 2, the axle Z) is shown asprovided with suitable wheel bearings b, on which is mounted the wheelh. This wheel may be of such construction as to support spacing rims71,, if, on which are secured, the dual tires f, f, respectively.

The other axle 0 has mounted on it other rangement employed.

load carrying wheels which track the wheels on the axle b, respectively,these wheels also having'dual tires, two of which f, f, are shown asaligned with the tires f, f. The principal ob ect of the presentinvention is to provide an efiicient drive for the idle load wheels fromthe driven load wheels. This drive is, in accordance with the invention,of sprocket and chain type. A sprocket z is illustrated as mounted onthe wheel h between the rims k, k and a second sprocket k is shown assimilarly mounted on the driven wheel which carries the tires f f Achain Z passes over these two sprockets and transmits the power from thesprocket i to the sprocket k whereby the driving wheel h, which receivespower from the propeller shaft d, transmits power to'the idler loadwheel in line therewith on the axle a. By disposing the sprockets in theposition illustrated it will be evidentthat complete compensati'on isafiorded for relative movement etween the driving and driven wheelswithout lessening, under any circumstances, the efficiency of the driveitself and regardless of the spring suspension and torquing ar- Thepower of the sprocket is always nicely apportioned between the tiresofthe wheels to which it is applied so that no unbalanced forces are setup tendin parts; A rther feature of the invention resides in mountingeach sprocket generally within the same vertical plane as the. wheelbearings so that the force of the driving reactions is effectively takenupby the bearings Figure? shows'the sprocket '5 in sub- The improvementsare, clearly effective wheels, a air of rims mounted on each wheel,

each IlIIl elng separately removable, spacers -mounted between the rims,respectively, a

sprocket associated with each spacer and a driving chain engaged withthe sprockets.

2'; In a vehicle, in combination with a ositively driven load carr ingroad whee an idle load carrying roa wheel tracking the driven wheel, apair of spaced rims mounted on each wheel, bearings for the respectivewheels, aligned sprockets mounted between the said pairs of rims,respectivel and disposed substantially in the plane 0 said bearings anda drive chain engaging the sprockets whereby rotation of the drivenwheel impart-s rotation to the idle wheel.

- This specification signed this 26th day of December, A. D. 1929. v

- WILLIAM D. SARGENT.

to bind or damage any of the I stantially the same plane as the wheelbearings b for the purpose noted.

till another object of the invention is to associate the sprockets withthe spacers for the rims on each wheel where, as in the i1- lustratedembodiment, the rims such' as 71.,

single axles and complete flexib, have a spacer interposed therebetween.

Such a spacer is shown at m and consists of a ring abutting against theproximate edges of the rims. The sprocket i may in this form as shown hemade integral with the spacer m or as an obvious mechanical equivalentbe attached thereto. One advantage of, the type of wheel structureillustrated in Figure 2 when the improved drive is associated therewith.in the manner described, is that many of the advantages may Ill beretained when a single tire is used in I place of the dual tires asillustrated. This will be evident when it is considered that if eitherone of-the tiresf, f, is removed the remaining-rim or an equivalenttherefor will maintain the relationship necessary for the use of theother tire in conjunction with the sprocket so that the driving. forceswill be efiectively employed and their reaction taken by the bearin inprecisely the manner heretofore 'p'ointe out.

